She should’ve said “mush.” Yukon, HO!

——

Very trite stuff. Saccharine, excessive, sentimental all work too. I didn’t think that a SAO wedding meant actual wedding bands. That just took it to a whole new level - Asuna and Kirito were so… domestic and romantic with the rings on. I think I’ve finally encountered an anime relationship that was just too over-the-top for me. And that was before the introduction of Yui. After she started staying with them, it felt more and more like a bunch of little kids playing house. Not a terrible thing, mind. I like it and it’s fun in a way, but the sentimentality of it all was a little disorienting. It’s enough to make anyone feel itchy. Well, me at least. Maybe that’s why I didn’t like playing with my cousins. Playing house is just… bleh.

This was actually the only chapter I read from the second novel because by the time my willpower crumbled, the other chapters had already aired. Which makes this unique in another way: this is the only chapter from the second book that has a multi-episode arc. It looks to be justified, though; this one is pretty dense compared to Liz’s and Silica’s stories. A lot more moving around and just more stuff happening, so it would need more than one episode to tell properly. Still, the anime has slowed down a lot, almost enough to cause whiplash. By the pacing, it feels like this is a three-episode arc, but it’s more likely going to wrap up next week. Not sure what to think about that, but it should be pretty well done if Sword Art Online’s track record is any indication.

Overall, I’d have to say that the episode hit the right emotional pitch. Whether the more awkward pacing makes the mood worth it, we’ll have to see. So far, though, I think they’ve been doing a pretty good job. 

GO Rating: 3.5/5